Loss of Faith
by NocturnalHunter
Summary: "My Code Name is Lucifer." Born in a world abounded by people and God, a young woman was captured and recruited by the Eastern Branch. She had no name, no identity, she didn't exist in the local files of the Ghetto. A ghost with no love for the living, driven only with the will to survive as she tries to mantain her mask of humanity inside the Branch. "And I kill Gods."
1. Prayer

**Author's Note:**

Well...I thought I should improve the overall quality of this FF first. I mentioned that this is...or was just an experiment. After writing some chapters and getting the hang of writing in English (a little bit), I thought...well...I should improve those pitiful excuses of chapters which I have uploaded. (God, I wanted the ground to swallow me whole for this...literal, unrefined abomination I dared to call a story. Seriously. Mistakes, clumsy writing, and where the hell was the story anyway?) I'm still searching for a style, but I can't bear the thought to leave this matter untouched. Hopefully this version is better...I think...at least.

* * *

_**Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.**_

The golden cross dangled from her neck as she was forced to her knees. Her green eyes glanced up to the fully armed man when another hand tried to push her face towards the dity wet ground beneath her. She resisted, refusing to bow to this self- proclaimed executioner and admit that she was at their mercy. The man was clearly amused by her struggle as an omnious smile spread on his dry lips. It pleased him to have hunted her down, to see her struggle, to see her on her knees. Slowly he bowed down to her, his eyes fixed on the golden rosary until he took it in his black gloved hands and eyed it with more care. He laughed quietly to himself when his gaze finally found hers.

"You know that stealing things is a deadly sin, don't you?"

**_Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven._**

The young woman returned an hollow smile. "Since it is a deadly sin, this makes us equal, doesn't it? As sinners..." She was cut off as his fist connected with her stomach, driving the air forcefully out of her lungs. Then his fingers interwined with her dark hair and brutally yanked her up, so that she was forced to see into his grinning face. "It seems that I have to remind you of your place, _scum_." She chuckled at his words, at the irony of the whole situation. They called themselves the _"Right hand of justice"_ who would protect the citizen from any kind of evil that might befall them. In the end, even those men were just paid, corrupt henchmen, who were tasked to burn this place down, even with every living being, if necessary. They didn't question this act, they smiled as they raised their weapons and torches. Justice? There was none in this deed. Her smile mocked him and she knew it.

"At least, I know my sins but do you know yours?"

**_Give us today our daily bread._**

This time, he kicked her and she bore it without a wimper escaping her throat. She was already used to this kind of treatment. In this world, the fight for survival was always present, a daily occurence. She had seen people trying to kill each other because of a dirty loath of bread, just to ease this hunger within them. It had driven them beyond morals or even sanity, turning them into completely different persons to adjust, to survive. The hunger, it burned, it corrupted, it twisted and only those who learned to control their madness, were the rulers of this word. Those henchman couldn't even comprehend what it meant to struggle every day, every waking hour. To fight. Day by day, year by year, death after death. In their eyes they were just scum, lower than any animal, despicable, not even worth to be treated as humans, simply because they refused to lay down and die of starvation.

"So...would you tell me, where you friends went?"

**_And forgive us our trespasses._**

In their eyes, her entire existence was a sin, just awaiting to be annihilated by their justice, by their weapons and torches. She stayed silent even when he repeated this words in a more forceful tone "Answer my question, scum. Tell the truth like your God wants you to do..." He looked down at her. "Where are they hiding?" Like an executor waiting for a confession, a judge, waiting for an guilty plea, a selfproclaimed God who demanded obedience because he was powerful. Her eyes were hidden behind her fallen bangs of hair as she sharply breathed in. The burning hunger shoot through her stomach. Pain and adrenalin through her veins. Her pulse quickend.

"Alright, if you don't want to then we can continue our little gam-..."

**_As we forgive those who trespass against us._**

Suddenly her knee connected with his stomach while she snapped her head back to hit his comrade in the face with it. Both lost their balance, surprised by her sudden attack and stumbled away. Just a second later, there was a scream, but she didn't turn around. She knew what was happening, she had heard the others in the dark. Now free from their grip, she rubbed her reddened wrists while she walked up to her executer, staring down at the gasping man as he looked in the darkness behind her and then to her. Her eyes were indifferent as she started to kick him, avoiding his pitiful attempts to fight her until he lay on the floor, coughing, gasping and curled up in pain. She had learned how to make people suffer, to slowly torture them although it wasn't a pleasurable experience of her. It was a mean in this world to get what some might desire. She didn't feel hate, she didn't feel pain, she just felt the need to take action. Her right hand wandered to the pocket on her hip.

**_And lead us not into temptation_**

His eyes went wide as she pointed the barrel of her gun directly into his face. She titled her head, her eyes never leaving him, observing every movement. "Do you want to confess?" He tried to say something as his glance flickered into the twilight, hoping his comrade would return, although he was already gone. He was abandoned, left alone, laying before a woman whose life had been lead by the rule of the weak and the strong. Only the strong and witful survive. The thought stirred up fear and panic in his body as he tried to crawl away from her.

**_But deliver us from evil._**

A soft click echoed weapon as she loaded the weapon. "This cross is a reminder...I did believe in Him." A cold chuckle escaped her, amused by the sight before her. The roles had switched, making the prey the hunter. "But maybe He has already left us alone...like your superiors did. Abandoned, barred from the sancturary, left to die out here. I came to the conclusion that all Gods should be brought down." His smirk faltered. He knew what had to come, yet denied the reality. The fear danced vividly in his eyes. "E-even if you rid of me now, you still will be captured and killed like all the others." The woman titled her head smiled at him calmly, almost peacefully.

"I know. No salvation for us sinners...isn't it?", was everything she said as she pulled the trigger.

**_For Thine is the kingdom, The power and the glory_**

"So...you are the one who is compatible with the new God Arcs." The young woman looked at the blond man who was sitting on the table before her and examining her carefully. Even after they had cleaned her up, black bruises still showed on her white skin, but he didn't remark about it, since he knew what had happened. Slowly he placed her golden rosary on the desk, his gaze never leaving her. "It's your choice. Return to the streets or stay here and become one of us." Her lips curled upwards, well aware of truth behind this deal. Either join and abandon her freedom or die by the hands which caught her. The answer was so simple, yet cruel. Her hands wandered to the cross, letting the chains of shackles around her wrists clashing against each other. He understood her choice and mirrored her smile, satisfied. For survival, every mean or tool was permitted, even when it meant that she had to live with invisible chains.

**_Forever_**

Her shoes clicked in steady rhythm against the hard pavement as she walked through the dark corridors of her new home. Her new red wristband almost glowed in this dark twilight as she caressed the cross with her fingers and placed a kiss on the golden surface. A mere whisper escaped her lips, but it wasn't a prayer. "...The Gods are waiting."


	2. The one with frozen eyes

**The one with frozen eyes**

A burning sensation rushed through her system, yet it wasn't her heart that caused this foreign feeling. She glanced at the red bracelet on her wrist and the new weapon she had obtained just hours before.

_It was **its **pulse_.

A presence which had begun to pester her ever since she was infused with those cells. She could still hear it laughing in the corner of her mind and exposing its razor sharp teeth as it nestled itself inside her. Maybe it was just her imagination, but even so, she wasn't one bit thrilled about the fact that this strange creature was in her mind. A tool to kill its brethren and it didn't object, it did nothing against it, just reminding her that something was in her body that shouldn't be there. It was a strange experience.

Her glance shifted to the dead Aragami before her. They called it an Orgetail, one of the smaller Aragami, but it was still dangerous. Now it laid in its own blood and she was the one who killed it. Her first kill as God Eater, her first captured prey. The adrenalin was still pumping through her veins as she tried to recall how she had slain it. Her body had just moved on instinct. She had seen it and then she attacked. She didn't think before this act and she scolded herself for being so reckless and doing so an hasty action.

"Don't let your guard down, rookie." A friendly pat on her back yanked her out of her thoughts. It was her leader who smiled at her, a friendly smile filled with pride. He lightened a cigarette and inhaled deeply. "For your very first mission, you did a good job."

She responded just with a smile. So, perfect, softly and completely _fake_. It was just a mask she wore as God Eater, a persona she created to cope with these new people and unfamiliar situation. She had to try to fit in to avoid latter...uncomfortable incidents and questions.

"You know, your green eyes are pretty dull for someone so nice and friendly." Lindow remarked, exhaling the smoke and catching her with that single sentence completely off guard. She blinked, her smile faded as her mask cracked for the first time she had been here. The woman looked at him with newfound curiosity. It seemed, although he had a calm and easy going personality, he still observed the things around him with care. Calm waters are deep as they say, but this game could be played with two people. Or rather he didn't know that he had the wrong person to play his games with.

"Is that so?" Although he was clearly surprised that she just spoke to him, he didn't wonder about it. Maybe he already suspected that she wasn't as mute as the other members of the Den thought she was. She just sheldomly talked to people in general and only when asked and when she deemed it as necessary. The woman prefered the silence over idle useless chatter.

"Rookie...Soma's glares are a feast of emotion against yours and that has to say something." She heard that name before. In her mind she searched for a face.

"Ah... the one with the white hair? Who growls at everyone who tries to speak to him and has a vocabulary reaching from "Get lost" to "Leave me alone"?" Her leader blinked at first and then started to chuckle. "Yeah, that one." "...You really think so?" She tilted her head to the left side, feigning amusement. The situation before was clearly unsettling, but she won't underestimate him a second time. Lindow shortly returned her gaze and sighed deeply, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Look, I have read your profile and informed myself about you."

Slowly she rose an eyebrow. "I don't know if I should be more surprised that you noticed something by just looking into my eyes or that there exists a profile about me." It was a statement, a fact she would admit. There were no records about her life and as her leader, Lindow would have already known this before she joined his group.

He laughed quietly. "Yeah, let me rephrase that. The lack of information about you made me wonder. No birth date, no relatives, no birth place... For God's sake, your real name isn't regristered, just your code name and an...interesting one at that." He run his hand through his raven hair and frowned. "...I doubt that your parents named you that way."

"And if they have? Wpuld you have a problem with it?" "No offense... let's say, it's a bit odd. You should have seen what faces, the others made when I called you like that. Do you have a real name, so introductions won't be that awkward?" "Why should I tell you?" "Because I say pretty please?" She just looked at him for a while, quietly and dumbfounded by the pleading look the threw her which reminded her of a puppy. A hungry kicked puppy. This guy was not only unnerving but also irritating in his behavior. "You can note to my profile that I'm immune against this." She replied drily, making him sighed once more, but then he shrugged. "Well...I tried."

Lindow shouldered his God Arc and ground the cigarette on the dusty floor. "Why would you be interested in my profile anyway? I didn't try to kill you, did I?" He chuckled. "That wasn't what I meant, but yeah, thank you for not backstabbing me." As he walked by to call the Den, he ruffled her dark blue hair a little bit and noticed that just like before, she tried to get away from his touch, yet decided to just simply stand there and shoot him a blank look.

Lindow countered her glance with a grin. "You are just a strange one, Rookie. That is all."

"I give the compliment right back, _Leader_.", she retorted coolly. "And don't worry, I'm not a backstabber...at least you don't give me a reason to do it." "And what reason would that be?" He asked, amused and curious, before she flashed a cold smile.

"You have to backstab me first." His playful smile was still present on his lips as he answered. "I will remember that, Rookie."

* * *

Days went by and he didn't bring this topic about her profile up anymore. Except this thing about her real name. In every conversation they had - which were more often he himself wondering loudly about something with her trying to ignore him - he brought this topic up and tried to lure information out of her. The others of the branch settled with "Rookie" as her new nickname, since they refused to call her by her codename, but Lindow was a persistent person. A **_very_ **persistent person.

"How about a hint?" "No." "A little one?" "No." "Just one single letter?" "No." "Come on, I will give you some of my beer, if you tell me." "I don't drink and besides that, you always collect beer from the others..." "She is right on that one, Big Boss." It was just like a game of patience which was followed by everyone in the Den with amusement. The game started as soon as they meet each other in the main hall and ended when she retired for the night. There were even bets about who would be the first to give in.

A deep growl escpaced her throat and Sakuya chuckled. "Give our Rookie a break or she will start to hate you, Big Boss." "You think?" "Judging by her glare, I would say yes." Hate wasn't the right term, more or less annoyed by his behavior as it irritated her to no end. Her instincts screamed at her to not trust this person, since there was so much more hidden beneath this smile and carefree actions than it met the eye. What was he sheming? "Don't be such a spoilsport, Rookie. I prom-..." The leader was interrupted by a heartly smack on the back of his head, delievered by his one and only medic. "Why did you hit me?" "You gave me the permission to hit you whenever you are doing something stupid, Big Boss." She smiled happily while he was clunching his head. The other woman rose her eyebrow slowly as she questioned herself, if her instincts weren't somehow affected by the new cells in her body.

"Lindow, the Director is calling for you." Hibari interrupted their chatter with her calm, friendly voice which made him grimace and sigh deeply. "Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." Lindow's gaze returned to his pupil as he stood up. "Don't think I will let you get off the hook just now, Rookie. We will see us later." The one spoken of closed her eyes and crossed her arms before her chest. "You can try as long as you want. I won't tell you." "We will see, Rookie. We will see." Again he flashed his friendly smile which seemed to mock her every second. "The Director is waiting for you, _Leader_." He chuckled. "Cold as always...Hey Soma, I think you have a riva in terms of behaviorl!" "Shut up, idiot.", was the only grumpy response of her colleague who sat alone on the table across her. She looked in his direction and their glances just met for a second which was enough to make him scowl, before going back to ignore her completely.

The woman titlied her head back.

"Heavens..." "Don't too harsh with him...he is just a little stubborn and a little bit worried." "I would have never guessed..." The Rookie mumbled under her breath, rolling her eyes and looked into the direction of one particular God Eater. "Today, I'm not moving out with him anyway..." She mentioned absentmindly as her green eyes traced over the young man. "I wonder...how my new comrades will do in battle."

* * *

"Greetings, you are the new one, aren't you? My name is Eric der Vogelweid." The woman swallowed a frustrated growl as she saw the young man before her monologing about this greatness and ability. Her glance shifted to the third member of this team, the young man Lindow compared her to and where her interest laid in the first place.

"The Death God..." She mumbled to herself. People like to exaggerate such things, but she was curious whether or not he deserved that name. Suddenly he looked in her direction, but not directly at her. "What is he..." Then she noticed a shadow growing directly under her feet. "Eric watch out!" She jumped out of the way, yet the warning came to late for her new colleague. Fresh blood drops splattered in her face and shortly after a God Arc struck the Orgetail down.

"Welcome to this messed up world." It was the first time he spoke to her and the first time to look directly into her eyes. Lindow was right, his eyes were cold in that moment. Cold like ice but not dead, not corrupted. It had been a long time she saw such a frosty, yet lively gaze. Maybe, the people weren't that wrong with those accusations. They were clearly hiding something. Where did she see such eyes the last time? Just were? It lay on the tip of her tongue.

"Pay attention or you will die." She wanted to retort that she always paid attention, especially to the people around her. The more she saw, the more she grew weary about the whole situation she found herself in. Those people were just so different from the place she was raised in that it started to cause her a headache every time she just _tried_ to comprehend what was going through their minds.

He directed his weapon at her. "And...Don't get in my way, Rookie." Slowly the woman rose an eyebrow and countered his look with a blank expression as her eyes moving between him and the bloody mess before her. She knew she should react somehow to this situation, but she had no idea what reaction was appropriate. Shock, suprise or maybe some expression of pain? At the mess before her or for the person who died?

A low growl escaped his throat. "Get moving."

"Understood." Just for a second, he looked at her surprised and she tilted her head, her expression remaining blank, while the fresh red blood still stained her face.

* * *

As soon she came through the elevator, people started to flook around her, asking, what exactly happened at the mission. Questions hailed down on her, never leaving her the time to answer. "Come on, let her breath." It was the first time since long that she appreciated the fact that her Leader was already around her in the Den. He shooed them away, before he sighed deeply and turned to her.

"Hey, are you alright?" Lindow placed a hand on her shoulder, prompting her to wipe it away immediately. "Yes. No need for concern." The man in front of her frowned. "Are you really sure?" Shortly she gazed around to make sure, no other person was in earshot. "I don't know what the Director told you about me, but this isn't the first time...that I saw someone die in front of me." His gaze grew only more worried than it was in the first place. "Look, if you need to talk..." "Do I look like I want to talk about it?", she replied in a monotonous voice. As Leader, he had the right to care about her circumstances, but the growing pity in his eyes stirred her blood. "What happened won't influence my performance." "This is not what I..." She didn't let him finish. "No further questions? Good...Excuse me, I have to enlist for another mission today." She needed this time alone. She just needed it to think about the things she had seen, to understand, to learn. Those people wouldn't understand that she reacted naturally to such situations with indifference, but what irritated her that they didn't.

"H-Hey, wait." The woman waved at him, signalizing that she didn't care what he wanted to say or what he wanted and he accepted it with a deep sigh.

"Give my brother back!" She looked to the mission corner as she went down the stairs, where a little girl cried and demanded Hibari to do the impossible. The woman looked at her with pity in her eyes and tried to calm her down until she noticed the rookie scanning through a few missions. And not only she noticed, also the little crying girl who walked up to her. "Give my brother back! You are a God Eater, aren't you?! You were supposed to help him! Give him back!" Suddenly the room seemed to drop a few degrees in temperature as the young woman looked down at her with an indifferent look.

"Yes, I was with your brother as he was killed. I can't give him back, since he is dead." She answered her demand in a cold voice and the girl turned pale, then red with burning anger. In her tiny eyes, she could see hate, despise even, as she launched herself at her, beating her tiny fists against her stomach. Hibari tried desperately to break the two up while other members just watched or averted the gaze from this heartbreaking scene.

The woman only stood there and didn't move. Her fists didn't hurt. The little girl wasn't powerful enough to deliver a serious punch. The hate, the desperate act to blame someone other than oneself. She knew it all, suffered from this circle of blame and hate until she didn't care anymore. Until she couldn't feel nothing but the burning hunger. She had seen a lot of kids, most of them orphans, who lost someone important. She hesitated at first and then she placed a hand on the little girl's head which caused her to stop and looked at her with her teary eyes. Slowly she kneeled in front of her as that she could look at her straight in the eye. "I can't return Eric for you." She tried to let her voice sound soft and comforting to solve this situation. And to her surprise the girl glared at her, turned around and run away, still crying and sobbing.

She wondered if she acted wrong, but then again she simply did it, because she felt annoyed and uncomfortable around people who just lost loved ones. She had seen newcomers treating children like this, but she never did it herself. On the streets people tend to day every day through hunger, dehydration, gang wars or through their own hand. Sadness was considered hindrance or a power, depending on how it was used and manipulated. "I know, you don't want me to ask you this...But are you really alright?" Her leader stood behind her and she glanced at him with the corner of her eyes. "... I'm fine." For them, a person who couldn't feel was a monster and she didn't deny it. In fact, she was well aware of it and she didn't care one bit about it. Emotions like these shouldn't be carried on the battlefield.

The young woman stood up and finished what she had been here for in the first place and ventured to the elevator only to find the person standing there who was most likely blamed for the whole thing that happened back then. When people talked, it was hushed but still clearly in earshot of everyone. He was infamous around the Branch for bringing misfortune for his team mates, killing them just with his presence. At first those silly rumors picked her interest and still...

His eyes reminded her of her home, of the people who weren't broken by society, but on the best way to be. Behind those eyes and rumors, was always a story...And a certain danger. A person on the verge of breaking was never someone to be around with, since in battle, it could be life-threatening for everyone. Their gazes just meet shortly and she smiled to greet him. He said nothing as always and minded his own business. She then looked at the closed door before her.

"Death God..." She mumbled and chuckles as she feel his gaze stabbing her back. It seemed that his buttons could be easily pushed. Calm on the outside, boiling on the inside. The woman's eyes narrowed slightly. He could become a problem in the future, just like her beloved Leader. "Nice nickname...But you aren't really worthy of it, aren't you?" She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, seeing him frown in confusion.

A voice echoed through the speakers."LUCIFER, come to the departure point at once."

"Ah, I'm late again." She smiled brightly and stepped out of the elevator and left a young man behind who continued to stare at her with his cold blue eyes.


	3. A new chess piece

The woman arched her eyebrows slightly as she noticed the look everyone on the table threw at her. She swallowed the greenish thick substance and nibbled shortly on on her spoon, before she decided to ask them about their weird behavior. "Do I have something on my face?" Her leader cleared his throat. "Are you feeling alright? I mean...do you feel a little bit...sick?" She frowned and blinked a few times. "I feel...fine...?" Lindow started to smile, much to her irritation and let his gaze wander to Sakuya who sighed deeply. "Yeah, seems like I win this round."

Her frown deepened. "Win this round? What are you talking about ?" "You see...I have made a little bet with Sakuya if you could stomach Dr. Sasaki's experimental food at the first time or not. And I said you could, so..." Experimental food? Of course she knew that this...whatever this dish may be, looked odd, but she didn't really expect to be used as a guinea pig something like this. "Should I not? I mean, this is food, isn't it? They won't give us something that might make us sick...or do they?" She looked at the mess before her with suspicion. They didn't try to poision her, did they?

"I can assure you that there are no dangerous substances in there. It's quite healthy in fact, but many people aren't used to having their tastebuds go on a rollercoaster ride of nasty taste." The medic explained and leant forward. "Lindow and I are already used to it, but Kota on the other hand..." She pointed at the person who sat on the table besides her whose head lay on the table and his face was as white as a sheet. He mumbled something incomprehensable. Something about dying if she heard correctly. "I...thought he had a marathon of his favorite series again." It wasn't unusual that he did that when they had no mission in the morning and of course he tended to doze off here and then because of that.

"Before I forget...A new member will be joining us today." "Really? Who is it?" "A girl from the Russian Branch. A New Type just like our Rookie here." The young woman frowned and abandoned her meal as this topic finally captured her interest. "Her name is Alisa and...why don't you ask her herself? She just came down the stairs." Kota and his partner turned around, eyeing the girl who walked directly up to them. The boy gave a small whistle and all the woman besides him did, was correcting his dreamy expression with her elbow hitting his side. "Hey!" She placed simply a finger at her lips, signalizing him to be silent while standing up with Lindow and Sakuya.

"Are you the 1. Unit? My name is Alisa Ilinichina Amiella. I was send from the Russian Branch to assist..." Her eyes wandered over the group and halted by the other woman with dark blue shoulder long hair. "You must be the other New Type...Ah, apologize my sudden question, but in your profile I haven't found a name, besides your code name that is. Could you tell me your real name?" The room went silent and new one looked around irritated. "Is something...wrong?" Lindow scratched his head uncomfortably at this strange situation.

"The answer to that question would interest the whole Den, you know. She won't tell us." The new one blinked confused. "I beg pardon?" "...When you need a name so desperately, call me Lucifer." The slightly older New Type offered. "L...Lucifer? Is that some kind of joke?" Lucifer smiled gently, yet cold. "As we are comrades from this day on, I would kindly ask you to respect my decision of not telling you." Her green eyes wandered. "Not like other people in here who still insist on it in the middle of the night." Her leader winced and smiled apologizingly. "Either way, welcome to the team." She offered her hand and Alisa shook it, although she still looked rather confused. "If you excuse me, I will get ready."

"Lucifer...It has...a strange ring to it." "If you don't like it...We use nicknames like Rookie." "Or partner!" Kota threw in. "Or Moron..." They turned around to the white haired buster blader who was silent until now. "What?", he asked flately, followed by a deep sigh from his Leader. "That's not how you call a woman." "Like I would care." It was an open secret that those two didn't like each other or rather him not liking her, while the woman reacted with indifference by his behavior. "Now that the introductions have been dealt with...Who wants to kill some Aragami?"

Their Leader stretched his arms and moved to the mission corner with the whole group behind him. Lucifer stood before the elevator, looking at her hand before she glanced down to the girl. The pulse of the creature inside her was there again, a little bit stronger than usual, almost exited. She could swear that she saw a short white flash before her eyes as their hands connected. Her smile vanished as soon as she balled her hand to a fist. "Interesting."

* * *

Later in the evening she sat in her room reading a book to pass the time or at least she tried as she was still pondering over how to deal with Alisa. A sudden knock yanked her out of her thoughts. "The Door is open."She answered, wondering who would visit her at this late hour. As said person entered, she asked herself, why she wondered about that in the first place. The one who dared to ever come here this late was Lindow. "Yo, how are you doing?" "Like always I would say... Do you want to talk to me or drink my beer?"

"Well, some of both, actually." She rolled her eyes. "You are lucky that I don't drink it, so help yourself. "You are a lifesaver, Rookie." He walked to the fridge and grabbed one of the cans and opened it. "It a mystery for me how you like that so much..." "Says the one who has no official name and no sense of taste." "Very funny, Leader."

Leisurely he sat himself across her and placed the open can on the small table before him. "What do you think of our new asset?" She closed the book in her hands. "Alisa?...She seems to feel very confident of herself and although she lacks in actual battle experience, she has proven that she could stand her ground. Yet after I read her profile I find the fact that she is under special therapy a little bit..." The woman searched for the right word. "...odd. What did you do to offend your Boss that he put two people with questionable background in your team?" He chuckled and simply shrugged, but stayed silent for a while. "I have a favor to ask from you." Lindow suddenly said, making her frown in surprise. "A favor?"

"I want you to keep an eye on her for me." "And if I do that...what can you give me in return?" He chuckled as he would have known that she would say that. "I won't knock at your door in the middle of the night and won't pester you with questions about your real name?" "Deal.", she answered without hesitation, knowing that was the best he could offer her and on her side...She was curious about this girl herself, yet maybe not with the same intentions.

She played with a chess figure that were scattered around the table. It had been there since she was here, but she didn't know what to do with it. "You play chess?" The woman jerked slightly. She didn't even know the name of this game. "No...I have never played it." She admitted honestly. "Really? I took you for the type to do something like that in their free time." "I never had time to play games and..." "Want me to teach you?" Irritated she frowned, looking at him for a while, searching for a thought behind this friendly act. Slowly she turned the figure in her hands. She had always been curious by nature, a thing that survived the madness of the place she had lived her life. "Just to set one point clear...I won't call you teacher." His face brightened up. "Okay, let's sort the figures...By the way, the one you hold in your hands is a Knight."

They played for a while. Between explanations, turns and trying to outwit the other, Lindow tried to stir up a normal conversation and was rather suprised that she actually didn't try to block him like she usually did as long as it didn't concerned her directly. They first discussed tactics about Aragami, their weakpoints and their weapons and preferences before it turned right to their fellow unit members. "I was rather suprised that you were unfazed by what happened to Eric. I have seen Rookies getting mental breakdowns from a scene like that." He looked at her for a second, not knowing if the question was still to risky to ask. The woman moved a white Pawn, staying silent for a minute.

"Like I said. Not the first death I have witnessed and it won't be the last. I have been dancing with Death himself more than I like to admit." He frowned as he did his turn, taking her pawn off the table. "Sounds like a harsh childhood." "...Speaking of which...That little Death God of yours didn't seem to have experienced a lucky one either." Her leader winced at the nickname and his expression turned serious. "I would like you to quit calling him like that." "Why?" "Because he has a name and besides that, he isn't..." "A Death God?" This topic seemed to be the button of more people than she had imagined, but instead of her comrade, Lindow had himself under control, although his presence turned from open to threatening. "Is there something I should know?

"He just...isn't good with people." Hesitation. Not a good sign. "Neither I'm I...and I don't have a killcount concerning comrades." "I have gone on many missions with him and I'm not dead." "Yet." She added as she removed his Priest from the chessboard, her eyes never leaving him. This kind of reaction was interesting to look at. He was a leader, he was overprotective and caring, yet even he couldn't deny the facts before him. It irked him, made him angry that he could not defend his little friend. Finally a weakness in his perfect easy going facade. This information could be useful later on. A satisfied small smile crossed her lips and vanished in an instant as he countered her look. He was forcing himself not to snap at her. Why?

"If you get to know him better you will understand." The young woman rose an eyebrow. "I never said that I was believing them. I was just curious what these rumors were all about and what you think about it. Nothing more. Besides...The nickname is an interesting one... After all, my name is Lucifer." It was a smile, a nostalgic one moving over her lips. "Still thinking that this is your real name?" Her finger pushed a knight forward. "It was the one given to me and I accepted it." This time her glance was on the chessboard and it became distant. "So...this makes it my names, doesn't it?" "But what did your parents name you?" Now the hesitation lingered on her side became noticable. The tables were turned. "...It has been a few years since I asked myself what my parents would have called me."

He opened his mouth to ask what she meant, but then his brain progressed the information. "I...see." "Don't dare to pity me for something mundane like this." A more aggressive streak submerged from her monotonous voice. She didn't like where this discussion was going, but he deliverately ignored the warning. He sighed, running one hand through his raven hair. "I'm sorry." "For what?" "I don't know what you have seen in your life, but it wasn't pretty, was it? I didn't mean to stir something up." His eyes looked gazed upon her apologizingly, making her frown in irritation. "You haven't. You are the Leader, so it is natural that you want to know more about me." His lips grazed a smile. "Then why did you ignore my questions?"

"Because it was in public and it was annoying." The woman crossed her arms before her chest. "I prefer discussing such things in private." She stayed silent for a moment, closing her eyes and sorting her thoughts. "I don't dislike you." These words left her mouth faster than she wanted and she was tempted to bite her tongue. One eye cracked open to see him grinning widely at her and a slight feeling of discomfort rose in her chest.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I don't dislike you, but I don't trust you either. You are my leader and I will follow your orders and cover your back, nothing more, nothing less." "I won't ask for more...Lucifer." Lucifer blinked. It was the first time he called her by this name. "And...I will keep an eye on her when you do as well." Lindow's smile in that moment was honest and relieved, but he didn't answer.

* * *

It was just a week later as she stood there, reporting that her Leader was missing in action with a voice that betrayed no emotion, while she glanced at the other team members. Sadness, disbelieve, despair...words so foreign and familiar at the same time. Her glance moved over their faces, taking in the shock, anger and all those conflicting feelings all at once. How well she knew these emotions, how long she had felt them until they crippled her soul and entire being and twisted it into something inhumane.

How they crumbled and succumbed to emotion, how they weeped, how they believed...How pathetic they were, crying over a person who was most likely dead. Tears won't bring him back neither would a tantrum. Those people had to understand or they would follow suit. Lindow was an idiot, an irritating person and she even warned him indirectly, that something like this may happen. He had ignored her and now he had paid the price for his ignorance, of his careless, laid back nature.

She parted her lips, trying to speak and yet she closed them without making a sound and like always shrouded herself within her own chosen silence, before she just turned around and left, her shoes clicking against the pavement, but ignored by the others. Her eyes now fixed on way before her as went to her room.

Slowly the woman opened the door and looked into the beckoning darkness. It seemed peaceful, quiet, luring her in and she followed the unspoken call. She didn't turn on the lights, welcomed the darkness and silence, for it was an old companion to her. Slowly she lowered herself onto her bed and looked at the fridge.

_"Hey, can I borrow some beer?"_

His presence still lingered here. "Do you really think I would cry for you?" A question to the dead, a discussion with no one in particular. She leant back. "You were a fool, too good, too believing..." Her voice sounded satisfied, sickenly sweet as she closed her eyes. "People tend to die when they ignore the signs of betrayl. You just wanted to know if this was true."

_"I have a favor to ask from you."_

"Ah, that..." Her eyes opened a little bit, her green eyes distant for a second. He had asked her for a favor. "Look after the girl...that indirectly murdered you. What a disgustingly good person you were." She stood up and moved to the abandoned chessboard. He had came occasionally to play with her. The figures still stood in place after he had declared himself defeated and went to his next mission.

_"You are not quite bad, Lucifer."_

He was the only one who had used her name without looking confused or uncomfortable. After their first game, he had begun to use it, much to the confusion of the other God Eaters. Her green eyes flickered over the chessboard with indifference. Now she had to search for another partner or play alone. Thin fingertips moved over the black pawn, but stopped in the middle of the movement. Suddenly her expression changed as the realization hit her. She clicked her tongue.

"Fool." Lucifer said quietly to herself as she grimaced. Could it be that he had known about all of this? In that case she had let herself been fooled by his easy going nature again. She took the golden cross around her neck into her hand. She hadn't won their last game.

_Lindow had set her checkmate._

He wasn't the opponent she was looking for. A wicked smile graced over her lips at the thought. There was another who called for her attention.

"I will do as you ordered..."


	4. Unwanted Kindness

The air remained heavy in the Den, suffocating even. There was anger, confusion, sadness and disbelieve in their eyes, their walk and their voice - if they spoke about it, that is. Some of the more loudmouthed ones grew awfully silent as their requests for helping with the search were denied again and again. This change in behavior was irritating but she decided to ignore it for the time being, since she believed they would get over with it eventually.

It changed nothing for her. She went to her meals, she did her tasks - now she tended to do easy elimination missions on her own, instead of taking the whole group with her - and avoided open chattering as much as she could. The last thing was even less difficult than normal, considering the situation. Some guessed that it was her way to express sadness. To continue, to go forward, instead of looking back. Some praised her for being strong, some eyed her with suspicion, but she couldn't care less about what others thought of her. She just did her job like they should.

Yet doing her job was more complicated now, since her Unit was lacking motivation. Soma was the least affected in battle, but still he continued to go on his own, Sakuya was often absentminded and didn't concentrate what lay before her and thus often misfires, getting her in more than one dangerous situation. Kota tried his best to keep his things together, although his movements and shots were even less precise than they used to be.

And Alisa...hasn't recovered.

From what she heard from her room and other people, her condition got even worse as she woke up. She screamed, was delusional, apologized to her parents and then to nobody in particular. Lucifer knew she was in treatment because of her broken psyche. Often she stayed beside the door to listen to her attacks, trying to make sense of it. The information she gained from this and her profile was swallow.

_"I have a favor to ask from you." _

These words still linguered in her mind, reminded her of her task. With a sigh she entered the now quiet room looking at Alisa's sleeping form on the bed. The medication seemed to have finally kicked in, rendering her unconcious, but at least not suffering from halluzinations or whatever she had. Lucifer titled her head, thinking about what to do. She had seen unstable people in her past. Madness was a lurking companion of the hunger. Still she could feel it in her mind, in her blood, when it boiled and burned, but she could control it, tamed it a long time ago.

The woman looked at her right hand and balled it to a fist, fingers digging deep into her flesh. She could remember what happened last time she touched this girl. The white flash, the insecure feeling. Maybe she could use it to see more, get a picture or a small hint what it was.

_I'm __**not **__doing this for you, Lindow._

Slowly, cautious almost unsure of what to expect of this action, she let her fingertips just slide over her comrades hand. She took a deep breath in as she steeled her mind for what may happen before she finally took the hand into her own.

_I'm not doing this for __**anyone**__._

It did more as she had liked. It felt like she couldn't breathe for a moment, she heard her heart miss a beat and silence followed as the whitness warped itself around her mind. For a moment she wanted to struggle, retreat, let go, but the feeling of peace, of lightness which flowed through her prevented it. It felt...good and unnatural. Her eyes fluttered close, allowing herself to keep falling.

_"Ready or not, here we come!" _

A cheerful voice of a women rang through her ears and Lucifer opened her eyes. She looked through a wooden crack. She knew that voice. It filled her with warmth and comfort. Two people entered her view, a man and a woman. They were searching for her, laughing, smiling as she repeated the words again and again.

_"Ready or not, here we come!"_

Suddenly they turned around, but not in her direction. They screamed, they stepped back and suddenly a monster launched itself on them, teeth sinking in their flesh. She couldn't speak, couldn't ask, just look as she listen to the sickening noise of screaming and bones cracking. Fear paralyzed her body, she only managed to whisper to stop this again and again. Crying, begging, but it didn't. Blood dripped on the ground. The beast turned to her and then she fell again.

The rest of what she saw was unfocused, like looking through fog. A doctor - she had seen this man somewhere- talked to her, showed her pictures. "That is the Aragami that killed your mommy and daddy!" She saw the monster again and suddenly it turned into the picture of a man. A man with black hair.

Lindow.

_"...Ajin duva touri..."_

Hate, anger rushed through her body as she saw that face again and again. Her hands moved as if she was in trance, everything blurred as someone else seemed to take the control of her actions.

_"Ajin duva touri."_

The words echoed through her head, pulling her down, letting her fall into the void. It was hard to form a thought, but one thing was for certain. She had to get out of there. Now, before this feeling overwhelms her mind. Then, with the suddeness these pictures came, the whitness suddenly cleared.

Lucifer still looked at the girl which moved, her eyes fluttering open. "...It's you..." Those words finally shook her out of the shock she had been put through. She managed a shaking smile. "You have seen it, haven't you?...A warm presence, it was you, wasn't it?" "A warm presence?", the woman muttered still dazed by this strange experience. It was confusing, irritating, peaceful, horrifing. She didn't know how to describe it.

"Could...Could you tell me more about this?" Lucifer tried to keep her voice in check which trembled lightly. This weren't her memories, no reason to fuss about it, but still... Her green eyes gazed upon the younger girl. What would have happened if she had given in to these emotions? "A-alright...I will explain everything to you." As she spoke, her voice was breaking here and there as she told her tale. The death of her parents, her quest for revenge, this Aragami...It was then when she began to cry.

Right in front of her, Alisa began to cry and beg for forgiveness. Holding her head and sobbing while she just stood there and watched, paralyzed and surprised.

She knew that scene so well and it made her _sick_.

_"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."_

It made her remember how pathetic she had been. Crying, pleading for forgiveness. That pathetic little girl on the dirty street pleading everything to stop and disappear. Alone, shivering because of the cold, the hunger, the pain while teardrops ran over her bruised face. Nobody would care, God would not care and so nobody had been there.

Suddenly her body moved on its own. She bent forward and warped her arms around Alisa's shivering form. Carefully she embraced her, stroke through her silver hair, like a mother who consoled her child. She felt the wetness of her tears as the girl started to cling onto her shirt and sobbed loudly into it. Her green eyes went wide just for a moment, asking herself why she did that. Emotions that still linguered inside her after this experience? She didn't know.

"I'm sorry...I don't know myself what is even going on."

She stayed silent, waiting for the younger girl to calm down. "Thank you." Slowly Lucifer let her go and settled down on a chair near her bedside. A deep sigh escaped her as she titled her head backwards. "I'm glad you finally came around. The first good message after what happened." "After...Lindow..." "Disappeared. We haven't found his God Arc or bracelet yet." Alisa began to shiver again, hugging herself. "I-I don't know what happened back then. Suddenly...he..." "Relax, Alisa. Don't push yourself too much now." Lucifer interrupted her in a calm tone. "You should rest and collect your thoughts, alright?"There was no use in forceing her now to spill the whole truth. It could only trigger another breakdown and she didn't know if she could rip herself out of this experience again.

Lucifer stood up, ready to leave, but her comrade caught her by her sleeve. "Y-You will come back later, will you?" Lucifer slowly rose one eyebrow and looked at her. "I-I...W-when you have time." A small smirk crossed the older woman's lips. "Don't worry. You won't get rid of me that easily." Alisa released her and returned the smile. "A-alright...I-I will see you later then."

As the door closed behind her, Lucifer's eyes were fixed on the floor. She tried to shake off the sensations she had experienced earlier and still lingered in her mind. Alisa had been, without a doubt, used as a tool to get rid of Lindow and make it look like a simple incident. But why would someone go to such lengths to kill just one person? Footsteps echoed through the corridor and ripped her out of her train of thoughts.

She looked up and mustered a slight smile at the older man as she nodded softly in his direction. Her green eyes wided slightly and her smile grew wider.

"Good evening, Dr. Oguruma."

"Ah, good evening to you too. Visiting your comrade again, I see, but due to the medications I doubt you..." "She is awake." He looked at her, blinked confused before his mouth open and closed without making a sound at first. "She is awake?" "Yes, but I have left her alone so she could rest." The doctor relaxed visibly. "I see. You are the other New Type...Your name was Lucifer, was it? A strange name for a lady." "It's not really my name...it's my codename. I can't remember my real one." She shrugged her shoulders, titled her head and sighed deeply. "Honestly, I don't understand the whole fuss about names anyway. But that is not important now. How is Alisa's condition?"

The man frowned and crossed his arms. "She makes progress. Give her a few more days and she will be back on the battlefield." "Good, I was growing worried." "Speaking of which, I have to check her up...So..." "Of course. I didn't want to hold you up any longer." With that she stepped to the side and walked down the corridor, her hands stuffed into the pockets of her black trousers. Her smile vanished instantly as soon she heard that the door to the room closed.

"A few more days, huh?" She mumbled to herself. These words left a bitter taste in her mouth, since she couldn't observe Alisa all the time. Without a question, this man was the one she had seen in her "visions" and nobody knew what this wicked Doctor would to do to erase the evidence of his involvement in this case when nobody was there. As long as she didn't show signs of knowing something about this incident, Alisa would be safe. Hopefully.

"You don't know your real name?" She tried not to roll her eyes in annoyance as she heard this voice coming from the benches on the end of the hallway. She wasn't in the mood to deal with him after so many thoughts occupied her head. "Ah, Soma, I didn't know that you were here... You know, eavesdropping on other people's conversations is considered impolite." He sat there, his arms crossed before his chest and eying her with suspicion.

He always had done that, looking at her with cold blue eyes which hid a silent growing reproach, since they had their first mission together. She couldn't pinpoint the reason why he did that, but it wasn't comforting to know that one she had to trust on the battlefield felt that way towards her. She was well aware of the fact that he wasn't the type of person who liked other people. Dear Kota was still mad at him for the argument they had...more or less a one-sided quarrel, but this cold, almost stabbing glare seemed to be reserved for her. Maybe it wasn't a wise decision to talk to him.

"Do I really look like I did that intentionally?", he responded in his usual dry tone.

"Who knows? I'm more interested in knowing why you doubt that thing about my name."

"Because you were lying." "Really?" This time she wasn't even faking her surprise. How did he come to that conclusion?

"Who the hell are you really?" The woman blinked once then twice and then frowned. "...That is..." Then she chuckled coldly. "...One heck of a silly question, you know. I am what you see. Nothing more, nothing less. Names are overrated and people just tend to use them carelessly." A cruel smile spread on her lips. "Isn't that right, Death God?" He flinched visibly, but he didn't look surprised that she called him like that in public and without hesitation.

In fact, she was the only one who dared to say this name directly into his face. "Names and titles should be earned. And you clearly didn't earn it. A real Death God wouldn't care in the slightest about others and their wellbeing. You wouldn't have warned Eric, you wouldn't be fazed by Lindow's death... So why would you let them call you like that?"

Soma's eyes went wide, but didn't say anything and decided that the floor was more interesting than her. Irritated by his quiet behavior at that moment, her eyes narrowed. She was completely aware that this nickname was a touchy subject, but she expected him to call her out for that, not simply accepting it. Just like Lindow did as she mentioned it. Soma was rude, but he spoke out what was on his mind and she respected him for that, although it could get unnerving for other people.

"You really _believe_ what they say?" She blurred out the thought that suddenly appeared in her mind.

This silence she met, was making her ire. Slowly she moved closer to him, causing him to look at her. "Are you serious? Now, that is amusing and at the same time utterly pathetic. You believe them because people tend to die around you? Admit it, you just want to be the scarpgoat for those people who search someone to blame, don't you?" Finally she seemed to hit a nerve . His blue eyes grew so cold, but at the same time showed so much life. A turmoil of emotion...what a rare sight to see. She was waiting for that moment.

"Shut the hell up." He growled and she laughed as she turned around. Out of the corner of her eyes she looked back to him. "Don't speak of me as if you know me."

"That makes us equal, doesn't it? We are just two strangers who happen to be on the same team, so what about it? Even without knowing who you are, I can _see_ what you do. And your actions don't honor your title."

She shook her head and fell silent for a moment and then these words came over her lips without her willing them to.

"You are too kind and caring...for being a Death God."


	5. Deal with the Devil

_You are too kind and caring...to be a Death God._

A slight chuckle escaped her. It wasn't her intention to say something like this or even trying to comfort him. When he wanted to suffer, she would gladly let him. It was his decision and when he choose to believe the people around him, then it was his fault. She didn't know why she had said these words in the first place, but at second thought it didn't really matter. He probably was thinking that she was playing with him and truth to be told, she was. In her own way.

"Is something the matter?" She blinked looking up to the medic of her team who placed a cup of tea right in front of her. Lucifer tried to smile. "...Just a migraine. It has been a long day." The older woman smiled gently back at her as she sat next to her on the green furniture. "You shouldn't push yourself too much, you know? You can get sick from it." The younger woman sighed deeply. "I know, but this isn't something that I can ignore." She glanced over the Russian dictonary. "...Besides our main hint being a dud. Ajin duva touri...One two three. I really didn't know what I expected."

"But at least, we know now that Alisa isn't at fault." Sakuya's smile turned solemnly and her thoughts seemed to drift away. Her hands played with her own cup, staring at the greenish substance within it. "I have to thank you for telling me all this. Finally...I have some hope to find out what really happened back there." "Don't thank me for nothing. We don't have any clues beside what I have seen." Lucifer dryly cut her off as she nibbled on her own tea. "And that isn't enough." "I...know. What did Lindow do to deserve this?"

_He rubbed the officials the wrong way._

That was the only explanation that came to her mind and she almost bit her tongue to not say it. It was the only explanation that made sense. She had experience in such matters. The higher ups would never kill off a skillful popular person like him without a good reason, since it would take a lot of work to make it plausible and not to track it back to them. Maybe they had tried in the past. She could faintly remember that he had been sent to kill an Ouroboros. Alone. And he pulled it off. Maybe they decided to use him until he was spent and then give him to a suicide mission. But the thing with Alisa had been too suddenly, too abrupt. Why now...? Then realization hit her.

_He knew something he shouldn't have known._

But what was it? She tried to remember something in their conversation they had in private. Did he drop any hints? Did he hide something? She grimanced as she softly bit the tip of her thumb. So many possibilities opened up in her mind and rushed through her thoughts. "Maybe...we both should get some rest. Things may fall in place after a good night's sleep." Lucifer pressed her eyes together and as a gesture to comfort her with her headache, Sakuya placed a hand on her back. "No need to push..." She didn't end the sentence as the younger woman suddenly jolted up as soon her hand made contact with her back.

With her green eyes wide for a moment she looked surpised, almost horrified at the medic who returned her glance confused and worried. Then after a second, Lucifer blinked. Once, twice and shook her head. "Sorry, I just...was lost in thought. I tend to blend out my surroundings. I...I should get going now. You are right, thank you for the tea...We see us tomorrow." With that she hurried out of the room, leaving her Dictonary behind. Sakuya chuckled. "You were right, Lindow. She is a strange one."

* * *

The Rookie stood in front of her closed door, head resting against the metal. "I...should really get a grib on myself. That was too close." It was barely above a whisper she spoke to no one particular. Her eyes looking at the ground and waited for this strange sensation in her back to end. In her mind something else knocked against the depths. Something that was born from the hunger, from experiences, from hate. Something consuming, devouring.

_Control it._

It had been like a sickness back in her days. Spreading, infecting everyone, everything and when someone had it, it would never vanish. Always waiting for a weak moment, always lurking in the dark. Only those who could control it, could manage, could think, could plan, could live. Her glance redirected itself on the mirror. Empty green eyes stared back at her and she relaxed.

_"Your eyes are pretty dull for someone so nice and friendly."_

Her lips curled up to a smirk. "You have no idea, Lindow. Nobody of this disgustingly normal people has." She exhaled a deep breath as she let herself fall on the green couch, looking at the chess board before her.

Every move had to be carefully planned or else she was next on the list. She still didn't know if it was a good decision for dragging Sakuya into this. She never really interacted with her outside their missions and she had just exchanged few words with her before, but it was the only person she deemed responsible enough to deal with this matter.

Alisa was a valuable source of information yet due to mind manipulation, she didn't know if she could trust her words. Kota was a good person and he trusted her, but he may be too goodhearted for such a messy game like this. And then there was Soma...

She was pretty sure that he hated her. If she came with such a request to him, he would possibly think she wanted to spread chaos through the Branch and would try to prevent it. With that, he would turn to an enemy which would be quite a pity since he could still prove himself as useful in his own ways.

Carefully she moved one white figure, a pawn, forward.

The game was now open. With an enemy or even enemies she couldn't really pinpoint, companions she had to use and a secret that could probably kill her. Now she had to wait and see how this plot unfolded itself before her. It was just like back then. A game of mind and power, a game that made her adrenalin rush through her veins. It was not the first time she played it. Her eyes flickered over the board and she started to smile as the memory of these happy people popped up in her mind.

_What are you thanking me for?...You might regreat this situation soon enough._

Lucifer titled her head back and looked at the ceiling. "No complaining, Lindow. You wanted that I keep an eye on her."

_Do you regret your decision?_

* * *

The next day, she tried to follow usual agenda and act like nothing had happened. A solo mission to gather materials after breakfast, finishing her report due midday, eat with her team, spending the spare times with books or with Alisa to find out more about her case. If she could avoid Kota, that is. He still insisted that she had to watch his favorite series, although she declined this offer about a hundred times with the words that she had work to do.

The woman exited her room with a file pinched under her left arm, and rubbed her temples in frustration. She hated to write reports. It took so much time to correct, make the signs readable and looking up things in the dictionary that she almost considered to shove the work to someone else, but then again, she didn't want to let anybody know about this. They would misinterpret her item gathering for overworking or something like that.

The pulse of the wristband was getting stronger for a moment and she sighed.

"Hungry again? What a persistent little pet you are...Don't worry. We will have dinner soon." She muttered. At first she wasn't really pleased about this other presence in her wrist, but with time, she had accepted it and treated it like a comrade or at least, a tool who had to be fed once in a while. Others tried to ignore it or shut their ears form it's voice, but she was still continued to listen to its laugh, talking to it and acknowledging its existence inside her.

In some nights she could even see how this creature bared this fangs in the darkness, purring in satisfaction and feasting upon the cells she had presented him the day before. She fed him and in return the creature kept her alive and enhanced her senses. There was no room for sentimental feelings about how wrong or right this way of treating it really was. There was only use and need. Give and take.

It was ironic, how she could live with this beast inside her better than with her comrades.

Carefully she knocked on the door of the Professor and received no answer. Normally, this was the sign that nobody was seeing him at the moment, since he was probably too absorbed with his work and ignored anything else. She opened the door and stepped in and moved to his desk where he had buried his face into the monitors again.

Without another word she dropped the book in her hands on the table. The paper piles of the table shook visibly and the Professor looked up irritated - she thought, he was irritated, but she wasn't sure, because he always kept his eyes closed and made her even wonder how he could even see anything on the screen in the first place - before his lips curled up to this trademark smile as he saw the book in her hands.

"Oh, Miss, you are already finished? Quicker than I had expected...So, how was it?" "I had a hard time reading it...but it went better than the other books. There were a lot of words I didn't understand and I have to read a page twice to see the correct meaning."

"And your writing skills?"

"Better...I think. It's more readable than before, but I still have look up some words in the dictionary or the tutorial vids you gave me. This whole thing is...rather frustrating if you ask me. I never needed it when I was still living on the streets." "Oh, it's very important to learn those basic things like reading or writing. Brute force is one thing, culturing your mind another." She clicked her tongue. "I had enough _mind culturing_ in my past and it wasn't pleasant." He stood up and placed his right hand on the book he had given her. "I never said it was a pleasant and easy process, but it will help you to understand the human nature more than..."

"I know, I know. That was why I was willing to do that after all." She cut him off. "Trying to adapt to this...environment..." The strange man laughed quietly to himself. "You make it sound like we have thrown you into a den full with Aragami. Even if you don't believe me, the other God Eaters aren't out for your blood and you should consider that fact more."

_You have absolutely no idea._

The woman crossed her arms before her chest. "I trust their abilities and I know, that we all are in this fight. So there is no need in lecturing me, Professor." She watched him, as he stood up. His smile looked amused, but still, it had a strange note to it which she couldn't classify. "I will repeat myself. You should trust these people, not only their abilities. If you don't, it will become a hindrance with time. Why don't you do something with your comrades to learn more about them?" "Taking such an advice from someone who is working with the person who literally bought me just because I was of use for this little facility? Nice try to make me laugh, Professor, but you forget, that I'm coming from the Purgatory."

"Purgatory?" "That's the name we chose for the place those people had burned down. If you have lived a month down there, you will understand, why." She titled her head and smiled as she continued. "So please, if you want to avoid complications, don't try to change my way of thinking." "If you want it that way, I will accept it. Take it as well meant advice. Besides that...I can only express my condolences to what happened to your home." "Keep these condolences to yourself. I don't need it." Her eyes narrowed.

_Just what part do you play in this game?_

* * *

"But why not? Bugarally is totally aweseome! Give it a chance." Lucifer's eyelid twitched slightly. She had thought that Lindow was persistent, but this guy drove the point up to eleven. Their whole conversation consisted just out of this topic and he seemed to deliberately ignore her excuses every time she saw him. Every. Time. "Kota..." Her calm voice carried a note of warning, but he didn't stop explaining why this series was so important and so on. At least, he was a nice, easy going guy and someone should could trust without questioning his intentions. There had to be a hitch somewhere.

Suddenly he went silent which made her frown and stared at her. It was not directly at her, instead, at something or someone behind her. The atmosphere turned, her hackles rose, signalizing that something was happening which wasn't good. Then she heard whispers.

_Has some nerve to show her face...So full of her self... Because of her Lindow is..._

It were just fragments, not complete sentences, but it was enough for her to know, who was that person behind her. She turned around and looked at the girl. "Good to see you back on your feet." "Y-yeah..." Alisa looked at her feet, her voice weak and insecure. "I-I..." She shortly meet her glance, just to turn it away. "C-could you...?" Lucifer sighed deeply and crossed her arms before her chest, with the report still in her hand. "What is it?"

"Please, help me." Surprised Lucifer almost dropped the report in her hands as she looked down on Alisa who avoided her glance. Her fingers buried themselves in her skirt as she pressed her eyes together. The whispers in the background grew louder in this awkward silence.

_"Now she is going to make a deal with that cold devil..."_

That was the first time she heard this. Seemed like a few people understood, why she was named Lucifer in the first place. They were so close to the truth and so far from it, since they only say it, because most of them talk about her like that, because she was a New Type. Kota looked uneasy with what to do in such a situation. Slightly she touched his arm for a second to free him from his paralyzed stance.

"Why aren't you laughing at me as well?" "Why the hell should I?" He retorted back with a grin on his face while the other woman looked at the two gossiping people behind her. "Since I just found out that I'm a cold, emotionless person, I have a retribution to uphold. That is why I won't laugh at you or at anyone for that matter, regardless how absolutely stupid and immature they may sound. Hey guys, isn't that right? " With amusement she saw how the two guys jerked and cursed as their glances met hers. And of course, they decided to retreat for the moment.

"Tze, such cowards." She chuckled to herself. "Running away from a fight. Albeit...I like the thought to be a cold Devil." Lucifer looked back to Alisa who stared at her, disbelieving and with her mouth slightly open. Irritated she frowned. "What?" "N...Nothing...but, could you teach me...perhaps...how to fight?" "Why me? I think Kota..." She didn't finish the sentence as she noticed that someone was missing. In her mind she noted that this behavior would cause consequences for him. She sighed deeply .

On one hand she wasn't thrilled to have a discipline, but on the other she could eliminate later problems and investigate a little more. And besides that, she wanted to move out anyway. The creature was hungry.

"Fine, get ready as soon as possible. I have a tight schedule today."

"T-Thank you. I swear, I won't disappoint you."

Her gaze followed the girl as she ran off and a smirk graced her lips.

_"Deal with the Devil? They may be cowards, but they are creative."_

Her eyes wandered to the young man who leant against the wall on the other end of the room, studying her carefully. His blue eyes watchting her as her smile grew wider as she met his gaze. Slowly her lips moved, forming words and a sentence.

_"Are you sacred that I will eat her soul?"_

She laughed silently to herself as she walked down to the mission corner.


End file.
